Small businesses typically struggle with one particular aspect of business: Marketing. 

The justification lies in the past evidence, where running ads, employing a marketing manager, or creating high-quality content has proven to be not only a headache but costly to small businesses.

This is simply not the case anymore. With the growth marketing tips for small businesses that we will discuss in this article, you’ll gain a vivid understanding of Instagram’s potential to elevate your brand’s visibility.”.

Whether it be leveraging AI content automation, partnering with other small businesses, or having a unique brand approach, the new possibilities for small businesses on Instagram are far greater than they have ever been. 

Let’s take a look at how your business can start leveraging these growth marketing tips to get more eyes on your business!

What is Instagram Growth Marketing?

Instagram growth marketing is simply the idea of using proper techniques and strategies to promote your brand or business in a way that gains more followers, engagement, and traffic. 

It’s still the same Instagram we know and loves where we can scroll through friends’ and families’ photos and videos, but for years small businesses have been leveraging Instagram’s usability to build brands and establish company visibility. 

We are not talking about posting a high-quality infographic with a clever caption either. The nuances of the growth marketing tips for small businesses that we will discuss are real strategies that can have explosive growth for brands that generate revenue.

7 Growth Marketing Tips on Instagram for Small Businesses

Growth marketing on Instagram shouldn’t be difficult to understand or implement. But, they should be done in a manner that aligns with your small business’s target audience and culture. 

Let’s take these tips and how you can implement them today.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing involves collaborating with Instagram personalities who have a significant following, or have a following specifically in your niche. They can introduce your products or services to their audience, which is a great way to increase your reach. 

Many people think this can be costly or expensive, but a helpful tip that can land you “ambassadors” is to offer samples, discounts, or free use of your product in exchange for their promotion.

Here is an example: 

Source: socialmediaexaminer.com

AI Content Generators

It shouldn’t be a surprise that if you are on Instagram you will need to produce helpful, high-quality, and engaging content. Email marketing and content marketing are an extremely valuable skill that many small businesses still struggle with through instagram. But, with the rise of AI, you no longer need an entire content team to produce helpful content. 

These AI tools are designed to study successful posts and mimic their style, giving you a higher chance of producing content that resonates with your audience. You can use them to generate post captions, hashtags, content ideas, and videos in a fraction of the time making it easier than ever for small businesses on Instagram to produce great content.

Collaborate with Other Small Businesses

One of the most lucrative ways for small businesses to get easy marketing is by teaming up with other small businesses on Instagram for co-promotion. Look for businesses that share a similar target audience but are not direct competitors. You could run joint promotions, or joint email marketing campaigns to share each other’s content, or even create a product together. 

Giveaways

Giveaways, while not entirely new to the marketing world, are still used by small and large businesses around the world because the ROI is great. 

All you need to do is promote and offer a prize and request that in order to enter the giveaway users must share your post, like, comment, and or tag others. Whatever you plan on offering as the prize, this is a sure way to get more eyes on your brand, increase in engagement, and likely gain more followers.

Hashtags

Before you skip over this tip thinking that is insignificant or too obvious, it’s important to understand why these are critical to growth marketing for small businesses. 

It’s not about using the most popular hashtags—it’s about using the right ones. These hashtags can help the Instagram algorithm put the right content in front of interested users based on things they like or search for. Using at least 1 hashtag in your post can increase your user engagement by up to 29% which may go unnoticed by small businesses who are under-utilizing hashtags.

Source: smallbusinessblog.net

To find great hashtags all you have to do is look at competitors’ pages and see what hashtags they are leveraging. Or, do manual research in your niche to see what hashtags people are searching for on Instagram.

Follower Interaction 

Building a community on Instagram is essential for growth. Respond to comments, ask questions in your captions, and create interactive Stories (polls, Q&As) to foster engagement. 

This makes followers feel valued and more likely to interact with your content in the future. A great tip is to run polls on your stories asking your followers what type of content they want to see.

It is also important to respond to both positive AND negative comments that your company or brand receives. As you can see in the example below, it is not only professional but it shows your followers that you care!

Content Automation & Planning 

Consistency is key on Instagram, and content planning tools can help you maintain it. Tools like Tailwind are great because they allow you to schedule posts in advance, and even automatically upload your photos without you needing to manually post on Instagram. 

If you choose not to use a tool, you should clearly lay out how many posts you plan on uploading weekly and what your captions and hashtags will be. This helps you stay organized and be consistent with your posting so you can truly get value out of leveraging the other tips we have already discussed. 

Reasons Small Businesses Need to Know About Instagram Growth Marketing 

There are a plethora of reasons why your small business should be leveraging Instagram. First off, Instagram has more than 2.3 billion active monthly users.. And according to DataReportal, Instagram is one of the most used social media platforms on the market making it a no-brainer for small businesses.

Source: oberlo.com

Here are some specific reasons why Instagram growth marketing is essential for small businesses:

• Reach a Wide and Engaged Audience: Instagram’s large and active user base means your business has the potential to reach a massive number of people who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

• Visual Storytelling: Instagram is a highly visual platform, making it perfect for showing off your products and telling your brand’s story in a compelling way.

• Drive Traffic: With the right strategies, you can drive significant traffic to your website or online store through Instagram.

• Customer Connection: Instagram provides a platform to engage with customers on a more personal level, fostering stronger relationships.

• Competitor Analysis: It’s also a great place to keep an eye on what your competitors are doing and learn from their successes and mistakes.

Each business is unique, so it’s about finding the combination of strategies that work best for your brand. With time, experimentation, and a little bit of patience, you’ll find your sweet spot on Instagram.

Key Considerations For Successfully Marketing Your Small Business on Instagram

• Understand Your Audience: Before you start posting, take the time to understand who your audience is. What are their interests? What kind of content do they engage with? Answering these questions can guide your content creation strategy.

• Consistent Branding: Ensure your Instagram account aligns with your brand in terms of voice, aesthetics, and values. Consistency can help reinforce brand recognition and trust.

• Engagement is Key: Remember, Instagram is a social platform. Respond to comments, engage with your followers, and show them that there’s a real person behind the business.

• Optimize Your Bio: You want to make a good impression when users visit your page. Ensure that your bio is clean, to the point, and has some sort of uniqueness for it to stand out.

• Quality Over Quantity: Don’t just post for the sake of posting. Every post should not only add value to your followers but be unique and creative.

• Use Instagram Stories: Instagram stories are one of the best ways to post fun, engaging, and lively content. It’s always a great way to engage with your audience through Q&A, running polls, updates, or behind-the-scenes snippets.

• Keep an Eye on Analytics: Instagram has built-in insights on post performance and audience behavior. Use this data to refine your strategy and make informed decisions.

Alternatives to Instagram Marketing for Small Businesses

Now, I get it, Instagram isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s totally okay! There are plenty of other platforms where your business can shine just as brightly. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular choices and why.

• Facebook: Still rocking the social media world, Facebook’s extensive user base can provide a fertile ground for your small business marketing.
• LinkedIn: If your small business caters more to the professional crowd, LinkedIn could be your go-to platform.
• TikTok: For the more adventurous businesses out there, TikTok reels combined with its viral nature can generate serious buzz for your brand if done correctly.
• Pinterest: Ideal for businesses with a strong visual appeal, Pinterest’s pinboard-style platform can be a goldmine for engagement.

Remember, the best platform for your business is the one where your target audience hangs out. It’s all about knowing who your customers are and meeting them where they are.

My Experience with Instagram Growth Marketing

One of the biggest misconceptions that small businesses have on platforms like Instagram is that you need hundreds of thousands of followers to see any real difference. 

This is simply not the case. When I started my first online trading company I did so 100% through Instagram marketing. As you can see below a few months in I had very minimal followers but almost 200 posts! What a waste of time right? 

I quickly began focusing all my attention on the tips that were laid out in this article and was able to maneuver to around 22 thousand followers in under 6 months. This was enough followers for me to start making tens of thousands of dollars. 

While it’s no easy feat to grow your small business on Instagram, it can be done by following the suggestions laid out in this article. I had no team, no freelancers, no special out-of-this-world product, just a simple growth marketing strategy that I worked on consistently.

Conclusion

And there you have it – seven key tips to turbocharge your small business’s Instagram presence. We’ve looked through the ins and outs of growth marketing, unlocking the secrets of user engagement, content creation, the power of hashtags, and much more. 

I can personally attest to the transformative power of these strategies, and now it’s your turn to take the reins. Remember, it’s not just about what you post, it’s about building connections, having a plan, and being unique. 

So step out of your comfort zone, and experiment with new ideas and strategies – your Instagram profile is your canvas, and paint it with innovation. I can’t wait to see how you’ll harness the power of Instagram to elevate your business to new heights. Just make sure that you reference back to these tips if you find yourself stuck or needing a reminder!

Author’s Bio: Luke is a published author, technology strategist, and creator of multiple online businesses. Luke writes about AI, software, and tech. Currently, he is working for a B2B SaaS company as a Sales Development Representative.